Ashby

Issued on Cadet in 1970, The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby is really a left-field offering for the jazz harpist. But being a jazz harpist was – and remains – an outside thing in the tradition. Her previous offerings on Prestige were pure, hard bop jazz with serious session players soloing all over them…

While not the first male or female jazz harp player (Casper Reardon of Jack Teagarden's bands, Adele Girard performing with her husband Joe Marsala, or Corky Hale set precedents), Dorothy Ashby was the very best and most swinging performer on the multi-stringed instrument associated with the gates of heaven. Here on Earth, Ashby adeptly plucked and strummed the harp like nobody else, as evidenced on a single reissue containing her two best LPs for the Prestige and Prestige/New Jazz labels from 1958 - Hip Harp and In a Minor Groove. Alongside her prior efforts for the Savoy label, they collectively represent a small but substantive discography for the Detroit native in small group settings. With the exceptional flute sounds produced by Frank Wess, the combo plays music that is oriented via a unique sonic palate, further enhanced by the principals in the standards and originals they have chosen…

There have been very few jazz harpists in history and Dorothy Ashby was one of the greats. Somehow she was able to play credible bebop on her instrument. As a pianist she studied at Wayne State University, and in 1952 she switched to harp. Within two years, Ashby was gigging in jazz, and in 1956 she made her first recording as a leader. Between 1956-1970, she led ten albums for such labels as Savoy, Prestige, New Jazz, Argo, Jazzland, Atlantic, and Cadet, guested on many records, and was firmly established as a top studio and session player. She moved to the West Coast in the 1970s and was active up until her death.

Harold Ashby - On The Sunny Side Of The Street (1992) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
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© 1992, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6376
Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone / Piano Trio

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. Harold Ashby's a tremendous tenorist – almost like Von Freeman or Buck Hill, in that he had years of experience before getting a bit of wider experience on records – thanks to albums like this! The set's got Ashby's great raspy tone in perfect formation with a trio led by pianist Horace Parlan – himself experiencing a big new wave of exposure at the time, on some of his other Timeless sessions, which marked a move to spacious, more tradition-filled playing – which makes him a great partner for Ashby on this set!

Dorothy Ashby - The Fantastic Jazz Harp Of Dorothy Ashby (1965) {Atlantic–Spellbound Music SPELL4001CD rel 2016}
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© 1965, 2016 Atlantic / Spellbound Music | SPELL4001CD
Jazz / Cool / Hard Bop / Harp

Reprint of the 1965 Original. On 1965's The Fantastic Jazz Harp of Dorothy Ashby, the harpist is joined by bassist Richard Davis, drummer Grady Tate, percussionist Willie Bobo, and a sporadic horn section on four Ashby originals and six standards.